Among the noticeable fine orange groves of Riverside is that owned by the above named gentleman. His grove, of twenty acres in extent, is situated on the southeast corner of Cypress and Bandini avenues, about one and one-half miles south of the business centre of Riverside. Dr. Ball purchased the land in 1875, and the next spring commenced its improvement, first planting 800 seedling orange trees and the balance to deciduous fruits: the last named he has since replaced with citrus fruits. At this writing his orange grove comprises 1,150 seedlings and 800 budded trees of the Mediterranean Sweets, Washington Navel, Malta Blood, and Duroi varieties, besides his citrus fruits and grapes for family use: his fine groves show the care and attention of a thorough horticulturist, and his success is attested by the fact that his thirteen year-old trees, seedlings, in 1888 yield $300 per acre net. The other trees are of various ages and not in full bearing, but their proportionate yield is even larger than that above given. The Doctor took this land when in its comparatively wild state, and has just cause to be proud of the results of his year’s labor. Dr. Ball also owns twenty acres of land about three miles south of his home place, located in section 32, south of Jurupa Avenue. This land was purchased in 1890, and will in 1891 be planted with raisin grape vines, for which it is well adapted.
Mr. Ball is a native of Henry County, Kentucky, and dates his birth in 1828. His father, William D. Ball, was a native of Virginia, and was a descendant from an old colonial family. He came in his young manhood to Kentucky, and there he married Miss Barbara Hall, also a native of that State. Dr. Ball was reared and schooled in his native state, and at the age of twenty-three years commenced his medical studies in the Kentucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, and graduated from the medical department of the Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1856. After his graduation, he entered on the practice of his profession in Trimble County, Kentucky, where he continued until 1859. He then moved to Indiana, and spent two years in Tippecanoe County, and finally located at Brookston, White County, where he was in successful practice for over twenty years. Dr. Ball took a leading part, both professionally and socially, in the community in which he spent so many years of his life, but his failing health compelled an entire change of climate, and in 1880 decided to make Riverside his permanent home. He was for years a member of the County Medical School in his Indiana home, and is now a member of the San Bernardino Medical Association. The Doctor, although not a pioneer in residence, has for nearly fifteen years been identified with Riverside and its interests, and is well known to the community, among which he has a large circle of friends.
In 1857 Dr. Ball married Miss Martha Kennedy, a native of Indiana. She died in 1869. There are four children living from this marriage, viz.: Victor, who married Miss Alice Shigley; Fernando W., Clement L. and Seymour C. His second marriage was in 1871, when he was wedded to Miss Maria Babcock, a native of Massachusetts. No children have been born from this marriage.